


Stranger Things Have Happened

by Silent_So_Long



Series: What A Captain Wants [2]
Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-15
Updated: 2012-02-15
Packaged: 2017-10-31 05:59:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/340705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silent_So_Long/pseuds/Silent_So_Long
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After an electrical storm hits while Jim and Leonard are beaming aboard the Enterprise,  Jim discovers he can hear Leonard’s thoughts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stranger Things Have Happened

**Author's Note:**

> Written after rogueangel1998 left a comment requesting a reversal of events in my fic [What a Captain Wants](http://archiveofourown.org/works/337488) whereupon Jim can read Bones‘ mind instead of the other way around. This is that fic and I hope that I’ve done the turn-about justice!

Jim looked out over the lake, as the setting sun cast warm red glows over the sky and the ever-rippling water. He could hear the sounds of the wildlife abundant to Malgra cycling down for the day, soothing sounds that lulled his senses comfortingly. His hands were folded over his slender abdomen, fingers laced in relaxed lines, mind idling over the past day‘s shore leave. Both Leonard and Jim had taken some time off, just for themselves, leaving the crew of the Enterprise to take shore leave of their own. 

Leonard was sitting beside him, slightly taller and stockier frame a comforting warmth against the encroaching chill of the evening. The doctor’s arm was slung around Jim’s shoulder, fingers a soothing weight against Jim‘s upper arm. They were silent; neither needed the constant noise of conversation to enjoy each other’s company. Jim closed his eyes, when he felt Leonard settle a little closer, hand rubbing against the captain’s arm in an affectionate manner. 

A lone maringue, a large heron like bird, worked its way across the sky, heading for home and a roost for the night, large wings cleaving through the red rays of the sun. Jim watched the flight of the bird lazily, yawning slightly before he cast a glance towards Leonard beside him. The doctor looked relaxed, eyelids drooping sleepily over hazel eyes, mouth tilted in a comfortable smile. Leonard caught Jim staring and cocked an eyebrow at him questioningly. Jim didn’t speak; instead he grinned and leant in to press a kiss against Leonard’s lips, mouths meeting and parting in gentle kisses. Leonard responded, eyes swooping closed as he did so, free hand rising to lay against the nape of Jim’s neck 

All was quiet, the chill of the evening sweeping over them as a passing animal brushed through the bushes and went on, unseen. The sudden chirp of Jim’s communicator broke the silence and the kiss, and Leonard cursed, loudly, eyes still half closed and misty as Jim drew away, reluctantly.

“Kirk,” Jim said, into the communicator, a frown of annoyance creeping over his eyes at the disturbance.

“Aye, sir, it’s Scotty. Are ye beaming aboard any time soon, d’ye think? The electrical storms are playing up something terrible, ye know. I might be able to beam you aboard in between static bursts if ye leave now,” the familiar Scottish burr of Scotty boomed into the silence.

Jim glanced towards Leonard who was scowling at the communicator. The doctor cast a glance up at Jim, before he gave a weary nod of acceptance. Jim gave him a regretful smile in return. Neither man wanted their shore leave to end, despite knowing that it inevitably had to. Scotty had already warned them before they even beamed down to Malgra’s surface that there were electrical storms peppering their way through the atmosphere, posing potential difficulties with transportation. 

“We didn’t get enough time, dammit,” Leonard growled. 

“I wanted more time, too, Bones,” Jim told him, before returning his attentions to his communicator regretfully. “Yeah, Scotty. Do what you can. Two to beam aboard.” 

Jim and Leonard stood, and Jim reached out to take Leonard’s hand. He barely had time to press his fingers against Leonard’s palm before the familiar push-pull-tingle of the transporter beam took them both. Jim felt an odd sensation pulse through him, a punching aftershock that he’d never felt before while beaming aboard. He blinked around at the transporter bay once his atoms had reassembled, hand finishing off its earlier trajectory around Leonard’s. 

“Dammit, Jim, not in public,” Leonard growled, despite the fact that his own fingers had curled around Jim’s hand protectively.

“I’ll let go if you will,” Jim replied, with a smirk at the doctor as he squeezed Leonard‘s hand gently.

“Smart-ass,” Leonard growled, but still did not let go, immediately. 

He gave Jim’s hand a reassuring little squeeze in return, before he took his hand away from Jim’s, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he did so. Jim smiled at the other man, wishing he still had his fingers twined through Leonard’s. He always felt safe with the doctor, calmer somehow and always mourned the loss of contact with him. He knew, however, that Leonard was a very private man, preferring to keep intimate gestures close and behind closed doors, where no one would think to pass comment or poke fun. Jim still didn’t think anyone would poke fun; despite the fact that most of the crew knew they were in a relationship, no one had had anything but kind words for them both. 

“Sorry aboot that, fellas,” Scotty said, when Jim and Leonard finally stepped away from the transporter platform. “That electromagnetic storm was a wee nasty beggar, cropped up out of nowhere.” 

“There was one?” Jim asked, as he frowned at the engineer. “I thought we were gonna be safe.” 

“Aye, so did I. I thought we‘d have more time than that,” Scotty replied, with a frown at Jim. “I thought I was gonnae lose you both, too. Lucky for us all that you’re even here.” 

“I thought I felt something odd when we beamed aboard,” Leonard said, with a frown. “Like my body didn’t want to stick back together again.” 

“I didn’t feel that,” Jim said, to Leonard. “I did feel like I was getting an electric shock or something, though.” 

“Aye, that’ll be the electrical storm, either way,” Scotty said, as he looked down at his transporter console.

“Never mind that now, dammit. We’re aboard. That’s all that matters,” Leonard said, with a soft harrumph of disgust. “I’ve gotta check in at Sickbay, make sure it hasn’t fallen down around Chapel’s ears.” 

“It’ll be fine, Bones,” Jim assured him, as they both walked from the transporter room, leaving the still fussing Scotty behind. 

~~~

Jim didn’t get the chance to talk much to Leonard the following day, other than to arrange for the doctor to pop into Jim’s quarters after Alpha shift had ended. Jim was already settled at the table in his room, reading, when Leonard arrived, hair mussed from his day in Sickbay, face weary, eyes slightly bagged from tiredness. Jim smiled at the other man, and heard mumbled curses about a hard day and ungrateful patients, mere seconds before Leonard dropped a kiss to Jim‘s cheek. 

“Hard day, huh?” Jim asked, with a commiserating sigh.

“When isn’t it, dammit?” Leonard replied, flopping down upon Jim’s bed, long frame settling down upon the covers with practiced ease.

Leonard sighed, tension rolling from his frame as he settled himself down into a more comfortable position. Jim watched as Leonard’s eyes closed, profile smoothing out into relaxed lines and he smiled. Jim found himself thinking that it wouldn’t take much for Leonard to fall asleep; he remained silent, returning his attentions back to his book quietly. 

“I bet Jim will forget it’s my birthday next week,” Leonard mumbled from the bed, voice breaking into the comfortable silence hanging between them.

“What was that about your birthday, Bones?” Jim asked, frowning in confusion at the other man.

He didn’t mention the fact that the doctor had referred to Jim as though he wasn’t even there. That was too weird for Jim to even contemplate, let alone mention to the other man.

“What the devil are you talking about now, Jim?” Leonard asked, cupping a yawn behind one raised hand, opening one eye to impale Jim with a confused glare. 

“Your birthday. It’s next week. Next Tuesday, if I remember right. I hadn’t forgotten, you know,” Jim said, frowning in turn as he placed his book face down upon the table. 

Leonard raised his head from the pillow, to turn a full glare upon Jim. Jim shrugged at him, wondering why Leonard was glaring.

“What?” he asked. “I can’t remember my own boyfriend’s birthday, now?” 

“You didn‘t remember last year,” Leonard replied, still glaring at him. 

Jim tilted his head to the side in a casual nod of acceptance, coupling that gesture with an apologetic smile at the other man. 

“I still gave you a gift though,” Jim reminded him.

“A day late,” Leonard huffed, yet his smile was softer than his frown had been before. 

“So what d’you want this year, anyway?” Jim asked, as he turned his gaze back to his book again, eyes and fingers running over the smooth spine. 

“Please God, no more socks,” Leonard muttered, a clear threat behind his words. 

“Fair enough. No socks,” Jim laughed, as he cast a glance in Leonard‘s direction again. 

Leonard frowned at Jim, hazel eyes blinking as he stared.

“Well, I guess that’s no secret,” Leonard admitted, slowly. “I’ve got more damn socks than I know what to do with. Besides, socks are just as imaginative as chocolate in my book.” 

“Okay, how about bourbon? I know you like that,” Jim said, desperately fishing for ideas.

“Bourbon I can get any damn time. I want something special, more meaningful,” Leonard said, as he yawned again. 

“So, what do you want then?” Jim asked, with a helpless shrug.

“Nothing,” Leonard muttered, eyelids drooping low over sleepy hazel eyes, a sudden snore creeping out between his lips. 

“Either you want something or not, Bones. One minute you’re saying you want something meaningful and the next, you’re saying you don’t want anything at all. Make up your damn mind. I‘m trying to help here,” Jim said, in exasperation. 

Leonard mumbled something about medical books and a candlelight dinner, before falling fully asleep on Jim’s bed. Jim watched him for a while, yet didn’t have the heart to wake him up nor move him. He couldn’t get the image out of his head of exactly the kind of books Leonard wanted; ancient, leather-bound and far too weighty a read for Jim, himself. He smiled however, glad that he finally had some clue as to what to get for the doctor.

~~~~

Leonard strolled onto the Bridge the next day, hazel eyes immediately seeking the captain‘s own as he leant up against the side of the chair. The doctor laid his hand upon Jim’s shoulder in a rare show of affection in public, private smile tugging at his lips as he did so. Jim smiled up at him, looking as comfortable and as contented as a well loved, well petted cat. Leonard had to smile at the comparison, and resisted the urge to ruffle the other man’s hair. 

Jim suddenly snorted and said - “I don't mind the hair-ruffling, Bones, but next, you’ll be giving me belly rubs and calling me Fluffy. Just for the record, Bones, I don’t like fish.” 

“Excuse me?” Leonard asked, blinking down at the captain. “What the devil are you talking about, now, man? What‘s this about fish?” 

“You were the one who said I looked like a cat,” Jim said, with a puzzled frown. “Cats eat fish, don’t they?” 

“I never said a word about cats, Jim,” Leonard said, blinking in confusion back at him. “I certainly never said a thing about fish, either.” 

“You did, just now,” Jim said, as he blinked up at the confused doctor. 

“Scotty, did I say anything about cats or fish just now?” Leonard asked, calling on the engineer when he passed. 

“I wasnae listening, Doctor, so I dinnae know,” Scotty replied as he returned to his station on the Bridge. “Bit of a strange thing to talk aboot, though, isn’t it?” 

“That’s what I thought. I swear I didn’t say anything about cats,” Leonard said, directing his puzzled gaze back to Jim again. “I was thinking about cats, admittedly, but I never said a word aloud.” 

“Huh,” Jim said, and looked ready to continue speaking.

Spock interrupted at that point, forestalling any further conversation between the couple by handing Jim a report about Malgra‘s electrical atmospheric storms. 

~~~~

Over the course of the next few days, Jim received random snippets of the thoughts that ran through Leonard’s head, directionless grumblings at the crew at large and tender words directed towards Jim himself. That Leonard also coupled the tender words with more grumblings didn’t phase Jim at all; he was used to both going hand in hand where Leonard was concerned. 

Leonard himself was often surprised when Jim turned up at odd times, carrying the things that Leonard needed, such as extra toothpaste and random peaches that the doctor happened to fancy eating. Jim himself merely shrugged and invented new ways to distract the doctor from asking too many questions, with well placed kisses and hands. Leonard, not surprisingly, didn’t complain about the extra attention he was receiving from the captain. It was only when Jim left him again, that Leonard wondered why Jim seemed to know his inner workings all of a sudden.

~~~

Jim plopped himself down next to Leonard in the mess hall, tray filled to overflowing with pizza, fries and great dollops of tomato ketchup poured liberally over everything. He dared to peck a quick kiss against the doctor‘s mouth, glad when Leonard reciprocated swiftly, lips closing over Jim’s before Leonard pulled away with a faint blush of embarrassment. The doctor still hadn’t gotten used to kissing in public, no matter how many times Jim tried it. Leonard directed his gaze towards Jim’s tray with some obvious trepidation, one eyebrow raised as he did so. 

“Damn diet will kill ya, Jim,” Leonard thought to himself. 

“I know it’ll kill me; don’t give me that look, Bones. You only live once,” Jim replied, with a roll of his eyes at Leonard. “I might as well treat myself.” 

“And you got all that with just one raised eyebrow,” Uhura observed, with a grin, from where she‘d been idly watching them both nearby. “You must be good.” 

Jim frowned at her, wondering why she’d said that. Uhura, however, had already turned away to talk to Spock. Jim watched for a while, mouth ripping mouthfuls of pizza from the portion he held between tomato stained fingers, before he turned to face the doctor beside him. Leonard was staring at Jim, with a puzzled frown darkening the hazel of his eyes and turning them almost brown with worry. Jim tried to smile, yet he found Leonard's concern quite disconcerting .

“What’s up?” he asked, from around his current mouthful of pizza. 

“I don’t know. Are you feeling alright lately, Jim?” Leonard asked, reaching up to lay one hand upon Jim’s forehead, checking him for a high fever.

Jim’s eyes fluttered closed and he leant into the cool touch of the doctor, protesting with a full mouth when he felt the cool pressure fall away. 

“You feel alright,” Leonard asked, checking Jim’s pulse next. “Heart rate’s elevated, though.” 

“I’m not sick, Bones,” Jim protested, once his mouth was clear. “The elevated heart rate’s probably due to you groping me.” 

“Dammit, Jim, I’m not groping you,” Leonard spluttered, in disbelief. 

“You’re being all doctor-ly then. That’s a form of groping,” Jim replied, with a smirk as he ripped off another chunk of his pizza.

“Shut up. I’m being serious,” Leonard said. “I wonder why I try looking after you, you know. You never take things seriously.” 

“You love me, really. You can’t resist my baby blues and my winning smile,” Jim said, fluttering his eyelashes and giving Leonard his best smile.

Leonard’s mouth twitched upwards into a smile, then, which sat at odds with the frown that pulled his brows down low over his eyes and creased the skin between them.

“Jim,” Leonard said warningly.

He didn’t get the chance to berate Jim further, for Uhura turned inquisitive eyes upon them. Leonard sighed when he saw that they had an audience, before he shook his head slightly at the captain when it seemed as though Jim was about to speak. 

“We’ll talk about this later,” he said, sounding a little irritated by the interruption.

“Sounds very mysterious,” Uhura commented. 

Neither Jim nor Leonard answered her, and she returned to her pasta without further comment. 

~~~

As soon as Jim had finished his lunch, he found himself escorted bodily into sickbay by Leonard, the doctor’s strong hand clamped tightly around Jim’s elbow.

“What the hell are you doing, Bones?” Jim asked, as he tried to wrest himself away from the doctor’s grasp.

He didn’t have any success; Leonard was anticipating Jim’s slippery manoeuvres and countered every one, before he produced the ultimate threat.

“Either you come with me willingly, Jim, or I start using hyposprays on you,” he growled, turning a scowl upon the other man. “You know I like to experiment with those.” 

Jim went limp in Leonard’s grasp, in much the same way as the doctor had expected him to. 

“I’m coming,” Jim said, pouting slightly in defeat.

Leonard hid a smile at that; Jim could look quite disarmingly cute when he was least expecting it. The effect was heightened by the fact that Jim turned puppy dog eyes in his direction, pleadingly large with the need for explanations. Leonard sighed as he wrestled the captain down upon a biobed, planting both hands on either side of the sitting man so that Jim couldn’t escape. A wicked gleam came into Jim’s eyes then and he leant forward to place a furtive kiss upon Leonard’s mouth. Leonard chuckled against Jim’s lips as he kissed him back, thinking as he did so, that the captain shouldn‘t expect to get around him so easily.

“Hey, cut me some slack, Bones. At least I’m trying,” Jim said, as he pulled away, with a grin. 

Leonard raised an eyebrow at that, before he said - “Cut you some slack for what, exactly, Jim? I didn’t say a word.” 

Jim’s mouth opened, closed, before a frown worked its way across his brows and into his eyes. 

“Huh,” Jim said, at last.

“Exactly. That ain’t the fist time you’ve done that to me, darlin’. The last few days you’ve been picking up on things I haven’t even said aloud,” Leonard said. “I know we’re close and all, but not that close.” 

“Huh,” Jim said, again, still frowning. “You really didn’t say anything, did you?” 

“No. My mouth was kind of busy at the time, with kissing you and all,” Leonard said, with a grin. 

Jim thought about it, then said, “So what’s happening, then? Am I suddenly picking up on your thoughts or what?” 

“Much as I’d like to say that isn’t possible, I have a sneaking suspicion that is exactly what’s happening,” Leonard said.

“Stranger things have happened, Bones,” was all Jim said in response.

Leonard raised his eyebrow in disbelief then remembered who exactly he was looking at. It was, after all, Jim Kirk, the universally well known magnet for trouble. 

“What are you saying there, Bones?” Jim said, picking up on Leonard’s train of thought. “I don’t intentionally go looking for trouble, you know.”

“I never said a word, Jim,” Leonard said. “Again.” 

“Huh,” Jim said, resting his hands behind him and leaning upon them.

Jim was silent so long, Leonard opened his mouth to speak again. Jim, however, raised one hand to forestall further comment. 

“Okay, assuming this is real, then think something at me,” he said, with an expectant look upon his face. “It doesn’t matter what, just think something at me.” 

“What?” Leonard asked, immediately frowning.

“Think something at me. Do your worst. Give me a Leonard McCoy special,” Jim said, preparing himself with a grin and an excited rubbing of his hands.

“A Leonard McCoy special? You ass,” Leonard said, blinking at Jim in disbelief.

“I’m waiting,” Jim prompted, raising both eyebrows expectantly.

Leonard sighed, before he said - “Okay. One Leonard McCoy special coming right up.” 

“And I don’t want fries with that, thank you very much,” Jim said, with a grin.

“Dammit, Jim, do you wanna do this or not?” Leonard asked, with a scowl. “This was your damn-fool idea.”

“Sure. Hit me,” Jim said, still grinning. eyes sparkling from the laughter lines that crinkled around his eyes.

“I’ll hit something in a minute,” Leonard said, darkly, as he frowned at Jim. 

Jim waited expectantly, while Leonard concentrated upon directing the most random thought he could at Jim. Bizarrely, the first thought that popped into Leonard's mind was of seeing Jim in a pair of pink silk and lace panties with lurid red hearts stitched onto the fabric. He tried not to admit that the thought actually pleased him; he did it more for the shock factor than anything else. 

“Is that the best you’ve got, Bones? C’mon, you can do better than that,” Jim snorted. “Lacy panties, seriously?” 

“They’re pink, Jim,” Leonard said, as though that made all the difference. “You’re hardly the type to willingly wear pink, let alone panties.” 

“That’s what you think. C'mon, hit me with something harder,” Jim said, waggling his fingers in front of himself.

“No, Jim. I think we’ve both proved a point,” Leonard said, finally straightening and stepping away from Jim with a sigh. “I thought of panties and you received panties.” 

“Don’t I wish. So now what?” Jim asked, standing and watching as Leonard paced thoughtfully, one hand raised to the doctor’s mouth.

“Try and find out why this happened. Can you remember when this started happening?” Leonard asked.

“Since shore leave on Malgra a few days ago, just after Scotty beamed us aboard when one of those electrical storms struck,” Jim said, immediately. 

“In that case, I think I should run a few tests on ya, just to make sure nothing bad has happened,” Leonard said, as he stopped striding and came to a halt in front of Jim, fingers still tapping thoughtfully at his mouth. 

“No hyposprays, Bones,” Jim said, with a sigh. 

“Can’t promise you that, Jim,” Leonard said, with a snort of laughter at the other man.

Jim tried to ignore Leonard’s immediate thought that Jim deserved a hypospray or two for sheer cheek sometimes. 

~~~

Two hours later and Jim felt as though he’d run a gamut of tests, half of which he thought that Leonard had run just for some inner enjoyment. The fact that amusement filtered through from Leonard on the most obscure of tests didn’t help matters much, yet when Jim thought to question the doctor, Leonard merely threatened him with a hypospray again. Jim felt he had no choice but to play along.

At the end of the two hour session, they’d ascertained that Jim had some strange, extra activity in his brain, as though, somehow, his brain waves had doubled. Leonard had stared at the readouts on his PADD for quite some time, only allowing Jim to see it for himself when he couldn’t take the puzzle anymore. Jim had merely shrugged, and indicated that it only confirmed what they already knew.

Spock was called upon next, to give his scientific opinion on the matter. Leonard watched him with cool eyes, while Spock questioned Jim in much the same manner as Leonard himself had done earlier in the afternoon. 

“I must concur that this is quite the fascinating case,” Spock said, as he handed the PADD back to Leonard again. 

“You don’t say,” Leonard said, with a roll of his eyes towards Jim.

Jim caught a stray thought in Leonard’s head regarding certain pointy eared bastard’s propensity to treat everything like a scientific experiment and the captain started to laugh.

“Did I say something to amuse you, Captain?” Spock asked, having caught Jim laughing. 

“No,” Jim said, but didn’t expand upon what Leonard had said. 

“Interesting, I am sure,” Spock replied, in the tone of voice that indicated he thought it quite the opposite. 

“So, what can we do about this, anyway? I don’t want each and every thought I have transmitted to my captain, thank you very much,” Leonard replied, with a scowl.

“I am sure it makes it more awkward considering that said captain is also your life partner,” Spock observed, with one raised eyebrow. 

“That too,” Leonard said, slowly. “That could become awkward very fast, I should imagine.” 

“Ain’t nothing in your head that can shock me, sweetheart,” Jim said, with a wink at Leonard. “I already know the reason behind why you took so many long, cold showers back at the Academy. It certainly wasn’t because the weather was hot.” 

“What?” Leonard asked, in surprise, turning blinking eyes upon Jim. 

“You were thinking about it yesterday. I had no idea you used to fantasize about me even in the Academy,” Jim said, a pleased grin spreading across his face at that. “Let’s just say I thought a lot about you too. In the shower. In bed. Everywhere.” 

“Dammit, Jim,” Leonard bellowed, clearly not amused by the cheeky captain.

“Is this correct, Doctor?” Spock asked, turning his raised eyebrow upon Leonard again.

“I don’t see what it’s gotta do with you, Spock,” Leonard replied, stiffly. 

“He liked the way the cadet reds hugged my ass,” Jim supplied, grin broadening at the way that Leonard started to blush. “His words, not mine, you understand.”

“Fully,” Spock replied, still staring at Leonard.

“Look, forget Jim’s cadet reds, can you help us or not?” Leonard barked at the Vulcan, looking annoyed as well as embarrassed. 

“I do not see as to how I can, Doctor,” Spock replied. “Jim’s behaviour is well out of my control, as you should well know, Leonard.” 

“I’m not talking about Jim’s behaviour, man. Are you mad? I meant our situation,” Leonard said. “I’m real sorry, Jim, but I ain’t having you accessing my private thoughts, all day, thanks. It was enough that you graced me with impromptu peaches when I wanted them, but this? This is too much, now.” 

Jim merely shrugged at him, not looking phased in the slightest by Leonard’s outburst. Spock saved Jim from further death by doctor’s grumbles by asking another question. 

“What exactly were you doing when you were transported through the electrical storm?” Spock asked, carefully.

Leonard looked to Jim; Jim looked back at him. The captain raised his eyebrows and Leonard’s shoulders slumped slightly. The doctor nodded at the other man and pointedly refused to look at Spock when Jim reached out to take his hand.

“I was reaching out to take Bones’ hand. My fingers just brushed his palm when we were transported. It felt as though I’d gotten an electric shock,” Jim said, as he curled his hand around Leonard’s again.

“Must be my magnetic personality, darlin’,” Leonard muttered, as he rolled his eyes at Jim. 

“There‘s no other explanation,“ Jim replied, with a wink at Leonard, before turning back to Spock. “What does it matter, anyway, Spock?” 

“The fact that you reached for Leonard makes all the difference, considering the fact that it is you who seems to be the recipient of the doctor’s brainwaves. I would posit that the electromagnetic interference interfered with your brain-waves, rendering you particularly sensitive to Leonard‘s thought patterns, in what I assume you humans call a freak accident. If you’d reached for each other at the same time, for instance, the extra electrical charge that the interference sent through your bodies would have entailed that you both would have become telepathic,” Spock opined, quietly. “The same would equally apply, if Leonard had reached for you first. The extra brainwaves on your scan would corroborate my theory, Jim.” 

“A freak accident,” Jim repeated, with a weary sigh. “I don’t like the idea, but I think I’m inclined to agree. You think it likely, Bones?” 

“Dammit, Jim, I’m a doctor, not a neurologist,” Leonard growled. “But Spock’s theory sounds the most likely explanation. It probably is just a freak accident.”

“Thank you. I am glad we are in agreement over this, Leonard,” Spock said, calmly.

“Don’t count your chickens, Spock. It won’t happen again,” Leonard said, turning his glare upon the Vulcan.

“I fail to see what Earthly egg laying avians have to do with anything, Doctor. Perhaps you could enlighten me?” Spock asked, raising one eyebrow at the doctor. 

“It’s a turn of phrase, Spock. It just means that you shouldn’t count on getting the things you want. In other words, don’t expect Bones to agree with you too often,” Jim explained.

“Nothin’ new there, then,” Leonard said, with a very definite nod in the Vulcan’s direction.

“Indeed,” Spock replied. “You humans do invent quite fascinating sayings, you know.” 

“If you say so. Never mind that, though. I think Bones and I are more interested in sorting out our little problem. Any suggestions, Spock?” Jim asked, as he rubbed one finger over Leonard's palm in a tickling gesture. 

Leonard took no notice, although his hand tightened a little around Jim’s in a tender little squeeze. 

“All I can suggest is that if it does not wear off by itself in a few days, then you should return to the planet Malgra and try to replicate the same conditions, in the hopes that it would reverse the effects,” Spock said, in the tone of voice that indicated the Vulcan thought it most plausible.

Leonard grumbled curse words at the Vulcan, to which Spock took no notice whatsoever, all too used to Leonard swearing at him at every chance he received. Spock left soon after that, to return to the reports he knew he had to complete.

~~~

Two days later and the situation still hadn’t improved for either Jim or Leonard. Jim had long since surpassed the stage by that time that he thought it funny and Leonard himself was getting particularly grouchy over the fact that Jim had learnt even more juicy details about Leonard that the doctor had wanted to keep a lid upon. It also put him off when they were spending some quality time alone together when Jim started spouting off about memories from seven years ago in Leonard’s past.

Jim then took the opportunity of spare time between missions to swing back to Malgra and replicating conditions as they had been before. Scotty navigated the pair between the atoms of the electrical storm, and when they returned, Jim was grinning and announced that he could no longer hear Leonard’s thoughts anymore, much to the doctor’s relief. 

Leonard returned to Sickbay, while Jim remained in the transporter room. He then requested Scotty to send him back down to the planet’s surface alone, because he had an extra errand to run. Scotty did as he was asked without question, little knowing that Jim was beaming down to purchase a birthday gift for Leonard. 

~~~

“What the devil are you doing, scurrying around like a crab?” Leonard asked as Jim tried to sneak past him later that day.

Jim had managed to track down one of the books that Leonard had wanted for his birthday, while planetside on Malgra. He hadn’t expected being caught red-handed by Leonard while still clutching the book, however; instead, he‘d hoped to have at least gotten back to his quarters to hide his new purchase. 

“No reason,” Jim said, as he tried to hide the book still further behind his back. “Listen, gotta go.” 

He extricated himself from Leonard then and ran down the corridor, much to the doctor’s consternation. 

~~~

Leonard entered his quarters that evening, face bisected by a loud yawn, before he stopped just beyond the threshold, sleepy eyes blinking round at the candles that dotted every available surface. Leonard noted that a two plates were already placed upon his table, meal steaming hot and sending fragrant odours into the air around him.

“Happy birthday, Bones,” Jim said, from where he sat upon the edge of Leonard’s bed.

Leonard noted that Jim looked relaxed, body clad in casual clothing, elbows resting upon his knees so that his hands dangled loose and free between his spread legs. His hair looked freshly washed and brushed, strands fluffy and soft to the touch. 

“Hey, darlin’,” Leonard replied, as he settled himself beside Jim and pressing a lingering kiss against the captain‘s mouth. “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble, you know.” 

“I know, but I wanted to,” Jim said, as he nudged Leonard with one shoulder. “I’ve got you a present.” 

Leonard watched as Jim produced the package from where he’d been sitting upon it, bright grin bisecting his face as he did so. That smile was more hesitant than Leonard had ever seen it, as though Jim were nervous, more eager to please than normal.

“Dammit, Jim, what is this?” Leonard asked, as he hefted the gift thoughtfully.

“Open it and you’ll find out,“ Jim replied, with a snort and a grin. 

Leonard slid his fingers beneath the edge of the wrapping paper and slowly ripped the paper free. The paper itself was bland and unassuming, holding no hint of what lay inside. That it was a book was obvious to Leonard; he could tell that by the heft and the shape of the object inside. Finally the paper lay in shreds at his feet, leaving Leonard with a leather bound book held in both hands, a weighty tome that dragged at his fingers and threatened cramp if held for too long. He flipped open the cover, and saw that it was an ancient medical text, one of the texts that Leonard had particularly wanted. Leonard stared at the old illustrations held inside with mounting surprise, before his gaze flicked up to meet Jim’s. 

“I won‘t ask how you knew I wanted this, ‘cos I know it’s a stupid question,” he said, voice hushed just enough so that his accent almost swallowed his words. 

Jim shrugged, a pleased smile decorating his lips as he did so. That Leonard loved his gift was obvious to Jim, by the awed set of Leonard’s mouth and the tender look that had entered his eyes when he stared at the other man.

“Let’s just say I read your mind,” Jim agreed, with a small chuckle. 

Leonard smiled back, before he leant in to press a kiss against Jim’s waiting mouth.

~~ the end ~~


End file.
